Chrysanthemum named ‘Zaza Purple’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zaza Purple’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and relatively large decorative-type inflorescences with dark purple-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZAZA PURPLE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zaza Purple’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new uniformly mounding and freelyflowering Chrysanthemum plants with unique and attractive ray floretcoloration.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in September, 2011 ofChrysanthemum X morifolium (formerly referred to as Dendranthemagrandiflora) ‘Gedi One Jam’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,891, asthe female, or seed, parent with Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Ivotti’,not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemumplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in September, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in September, 2014. Asexualreproduction by vegetative terminal cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Zaza Purple’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Zaza Purple’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant        habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Relatively large decorative-type inflorescences with dark        purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from the female parent, ‘Gedi OneJam’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more uniform in plant        shape than plants of ‘Gedi One Jam’.    -   2. Lateral branches of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more        flexible than lateral branches of plants of ‘Gedi One Jam’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are        decorative in form whereas inflorescences of plants of ‘Gedi One        Jam’ are pompom in form.    -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Gedi One Jam’ differ in        ray floret color as plants of ‘Gedi One Jam’ have pink-colored        ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from the male parent, ‘Ivotti’,in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more uniform in plant        shape than plants of ‘Ivotti’.    -   2. Lateral branches of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more        flexible than lateral branches of plants of ‘Ivotti’.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences        than plants of ‘Ivotti’.    -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are darker        purple in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Ivotti’.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum X morifolium ‘PPP POB LV05’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 18,105. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemumdiffer from plants of ‘PPP POB LV05’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about one month later        than plants of ‘PPP POB LV05’.    -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are darker        purple in color than ray florets of plants of ‘PPP POB LV05’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum plant. The photograph comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zaza Purple’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in 19-cm containers in an outdoornursery in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium during the summer and autumn andunder cultural practices generally used in commercial Chrysanthemumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 20° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 18°C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photograph and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2005 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Zaza Purple’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Gedi            One Jam’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,891.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Chrysanthemum X morifolium            ‘Ivotti’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in            color, actual color of the roots dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type Chrysanthemum; stems            upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly rounded            appearance to the plant; plants nearly spherical in overall            shape; very freely branching habit, about 25 primary lateral            branches develop per plant, each primary lateral branch with            multiple secondary branches; pinching is not required,            however, will enhance lateral branch development; dense and            full plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; medium            growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm            to 3 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong,            flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly spreading. Texture            and luster: Fine pubescence; longitudinally ridged; matte.            Color: Close to 136A.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 3.5 cm            to 6 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 4 cm. Apex: Rounded to            cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed and            serrate, sinuses between lateral lobes divergent to            parallel. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Slightly pubescent; matte. Color: Developing leaves, upper            surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface:            Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to 136A; venation, close to 148C. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 147B to            147C. Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly            pubescent; slightly rough; matte. Color, upper surface:            Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form;            inflorescences borne on terminals above foliar plane; disc            and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pungent.        -   Flowering time.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower in mid-September in Belgium; response time is about            six weeks.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about six weeks on the plant grown in an            outdoor nursery; inflorescences persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with            about 30 inflorescences developing per lateral branch with            numerous inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About            1 cm. Shape: Globular. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Close to 136A.        -   Inflorescence size and shape.—Diameter: Relatively large,            about 6 cm. Depth (height): About 3 cm. Disc diameter: About            1 mm.        -   Receptacles.—Diameter: About 3 mm. Height: About 2.5 mm to            3 mm. Shape: Circular; raised dome. Texture and luster:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 150 ray florets            per inflorescence arranged in about ten whorls. Length:            About 3 cm to 4 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Oval. Apex:            Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly            flat. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 83A. When opening, lower surface: Close to N81B. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 77A; color becoming closer            to 77B with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 77B; color becoming closer to N80D with development.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 30 disc            florets per inflorescence and spirally massed at the center            of the receptacle; mostly inconspicuous. Length: About 3 mm.            Diameter: About 0.5 mm to 1 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated;            apices acute. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.            Color: When opening: Close to 145A. Fully opened: Close to            12A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 25 phyllaries            per inflorescence arranged in about two or three whorls.            Length: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded to truncate.            Margin: Entire; translucent. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper            surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to            N137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 5 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About            5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle, lateral peduncles: About            30° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and            luster: Slightly pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 136A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:            None observed.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Chrysanthemum grown under commercial production conditions to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated excellent garden performance and will tolerate    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 45° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘ZazaPurple’ as illustrated and described.